Archive for February, 2008
February 29, 2008 at 9:57 pm · Categories: Colombo, English, Peace and Conflict, Politics | by Sumanasiri Liyanage
Sumanasiri Liyanage
Dr Pradeep Jeganathan’s dinner experience in Delhi with a French anthropologist reminded me a recent meeting I happened to have with a European high level diplomat in Sri Lanka. Referring to the recent events in Sri Lanka, he said: “I would be worried if similar things have happened in Balkans or even in India, but I am not worried at all for what is happening in Sri Lanka”. Is this a difference between an anthropologist who in Dr Jeganathan’s account was superficially worried about Sri Lanka and a diplomat who has been here for quite a long time but least worried about the Sri Lankan events? The diplomat in my story was rather angry as international …
February 29, 2008 at 7:26 pm · Categories: English, IDPs and Refugees, Peace and Conflict | by Ruki
I remembered John Denver’s passionate song dedicated to the refugees called “Fallen leaves”, as I sat in the Chennai airport, trying to make sense of what I had seen and heard and my own feelings, recalling my visit to Sri Lankans who had fled to India in fear of their lives and live in camps as refugees. One of the lines from the song that kept coming back to me was what I had put as the title to this reflection.
At the airport, I myself felt a bit of a refugee, having come to the airport from an overnight bus. It had not been an easy journey, traveling by a night train, and spending the day at the store house …
February 28, 2008 at 8:33 pm · Categories: English, Human Security, Jaffna, Peace and Conflict, Politics | by groundviews
The current socio-economic, political and ground situation in Jaffna from a resident in the embattled region in the North of Sri Lanka as captured by Vikalpa Video.
Also see Present situation in Jaffna: A video interview in English and Sinhala.
February 28, 2008 at 6:09 pm · Categories: Colombo, English, Jaffna, Peace and Conflict | by David Blacker
It’s easy. You just lead them a little less. It’s an old joke, born in the Vietnam War, and first recorded by Michael Herr, though Kubrick made it famous with his portrait of the crazed US Marine door gunner in Full Metal Jacket. In layspeak, a shooter “leads” a running figure so that he’s aiming at where the target will be when the bullet reaches it. Women and children run slower than an adult male.
It’s not so funny anymore though, when we’re fighting a war in which the uniformed enemy often is a woman or a child. Earlier this week, a US military court sentenced Sgt Evan Vela, a 24-year-old Army sniper, to ten years imprisonment for killing an Iraqi …
February 22, 2008 at 9:26 pm · Categories: Colombo, English, Peace and Conflict, Politics | by groundviews
Well known and senior trade union leader Bala Tampoe speaks on the war in Sri Lanka and the state of governance in the South.
He notes that even militarily defeating the LTTE does not mean guerilla warfare or their terrorist attacks against civilians in the South will cease. He goes on to note that:
“…on top of that they are talking about a political settlement. [The Rajapakse regime] can never achieve a proper political settlement till and until they recognise the right of self-determination, which is a democratic right, of the Tamil people and the Muslim people in the North and East, and establish some kind of proper constitutional basis …
February 22, 2008 at 7:16 pm · Categories: Colombo, English, Human Rights, Human Security, Peace and Conflict | by groundviews
Member of Parliament and Convener of the Civil Monitoring Committee, Mano Ganeshan, speaks about the rising abductions of Tamils in Colombo, Sri Lanka.
For this interview in Sinhala, click here.
For this interview in Tamil, click here.
For more videos, please visit the Vikalpa Video Channel here.
February 22, 2008 at 6:50 pm · Categories: Peace and Conflict | by CHA
Due to the civil war that erupted in the Trincomalee District between the LTTE and the Government forces, the families that had been living at Muthur and Sam poor areas had been displaced to different locations of Trincomalee District in the Eastern Province of Sri Lanka. Due to this displacement the day to day life of these families had been affected badly along with Education, Culture, and Economy etc; a representative of CHA had visited one of the IDP’s camp on 12..2.2008 and they shared some of their pathetic stories with me.
1. I was able to meet Mr. P.Shanmuganathan who is the leader of the IDP’s camp at Konesapuri in the Trincomalee Town and Gravets …
February 22, 2008 at 6:39 pm · Categories: Colombo, Constitutional Reform, Jaffna, Peace and Conflict, Politics | by groundviews
Fashionable as any aspiring theoreticians, writer Publius with above article once again takes on a contemporary and important topic, yet with wider pseudo interpositions and an assumed role of political advisory.
Following is a very short response.
Those who know me will bear witness that I am neither an Eelamist nor a separatist. I envisage and endeavour for a normative multination democracy where the Thamil nation, legally, constitutionally and normatively will restore its nationhood with or without a state because all nations does not need to own a state (Taylor 1992,2004) ,but every nation needs to live in its fullest freedom including the right to self determination. (Connor 1990, 2002)
The core of the argument forwarded by Publius is encapsulated
‘’…A …
February 21, 2008 at 8:45 pm · Categories: Batticaloa, Peace and Conflict | by Ruki
“Return my husband you abducted before you ask for my vote”
(Plea to the TMVP-UPFA, from a Batticaloa women)
The government had claimed it had “liberated” the East, completed a 180 days development program and had decided to hold elections as if to prove all is well there.
Reports from the ground seemed otherwise. The Inter Agency Standing Committee (IASC), comprising UN and NGOs active in humanitarian work, reported on their 11th February update that “armed groups continue to operate in the area”. In their previous report of 5th Feb. 2008, the IASC had reported that the “The situation remains tense and that the looting of humanitarian assistance materials is leading to delays in programme implementation, with some agencies informing that they have …
February 18, 2008 at 7:30 pm · Categories: English, Uncategorized | by groundviews
By Mark Gereis
True sub-continental cricket is a freak phenomenon that hits Australia’s shores once every two or three years. I deliberately use the word ‘freak’ because I can’t explain it – in truth, I don’t think anybody is able to explain it. A certain magic permeates the atmosphere as we crowd the family television set in the company of friends and family. We hang-off each delivery that Muttiah runs into bowl; each six that Sanna sends crashing into the fans; every word uttered by our adopted uncle – Tony Greig. Watching cricket is very much a mutual experience. Half of the atmosphere is created by those waiting in eager anticipation of another of Sanga’s centuries. “Aiyoooooo…” is …
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